Elon Musk, the CEO of electric car maker Tesla, has hinted of a futuristic public transportation system, which will reduce traffic in cities.
Musk spoke about the plan during a transportation event, which was sponsored by the Norwegian government. Musk said that the company is working on a project, which will ease urban mobility; however, he did not reveal more information on the company's plan.
"We have an idea for something which is not exactly a bus, but would solve the density problem in intercity situations. I think we need to rethink the whole concept of public transport and create something that people are actually gonna like a lot more. I don't want to talk too much about it," said Musk.
Autonomous cars and self-driving vehicles are getting very popular. Several car and technology companies are heavily investing in self-driving technology. Musk says that autonomous vehicles are the key to the project, and the one that Tesla is developing would be great. Musk suggests that the project will help people get to their final destination rather than a bus stop.
Musk is not the only billionaire who is working to delete heavy traffic from cities. Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor, is also working to bring electric buses to Seattle.
Many cities across the world such as Lausanne in Switzerland and Zhengzhou in China are also experimenting with self-driving buses. Wageningen in Netherland has also tested fully electric and driverless shuttle bus on a public road.
Tesla has also been working on self-driving technology. The company's Autopilot feature in cars such as Model S is an example of Tesla's move toward self-driving cars.
"Autopilot allows Model S to steer within a lane, change lanes with the simple tap of a turn signal, and manage speed by using active, traffic-aware cruise control. Digital control of motors, brakes, and steering helps avoid collisions from the front and sides, and prevents the car from wandering off the road," says Tesla.
The company suggests that the Autopilot feature of a Tesla car can scan for a parking space and parallel park on command. With the Summon feature, a Model S owner can also get the car to park itself, open the garage door and perform some limited tasks. However, Tesla may expand the utility of the feature in the near term.
Musk has hinted on Tesla's future plans on improving public transportation. However, it remains to be seen how swiftly Tesla executes its futuristic public transportation plan and ease traffic in urban cities.
Photo: Tesla Club Belgium | Flickr
